Is your Diocese or Archdiocese closing again?

[Fritzy]

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe closed again indefinitely after this last Sundays masses. The state didn’t require them to close, they closed due to “cases being up and the Governor asking people to stay home”. I was wondering if any other diocese or Archdiocese have closed back down? Or are you open?

 

[JulianN]

Are they closed as in “diocesan offices are not open,” or closed as in “Masses are suspended”?

 

[Fritzy]

ALL masses are suspended.

 

[Sarcelle]

My diocese could close down again. My town just had the highest number of cases for a single day ever.

 

[umamibella]

I am in Aus and attending Mass this morning for the first time since the Easter season. We just opened back up with restrictions. We still have dispensation and will until everything is normal again.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Archdiocese of Philly is not only open, but the pastor of the closest parish to me had us all put the hymnals and missalettes back in the pews after morning Mass yesterday They’d been removed since March so no one would spread germs touching them.

I think right now Philadelphia is more concerned about stopping the rioting, looting and arson in the city, than about whether someone might catch COVID at Mass. We’re still distancing and using hand santizer, of course, and the dispensation remains in place.

And all the area parishes had their confirmations and First Communions last month. Some of the classes had to be broken up into two separate Sundays in order to accommodate everyone’s family and still do social distancing, as typically those Masses are nearly standing room only and right now we’re just using every other pew.

The Catholic schools have had kids attending in person since they started in September as well.

 

[umamibella]

Mass with 14 others today , we had to wear masks, sign in, use sanitizer, we sat behind the Altar in the Sanctury. I was coopted into reading. The gorgeous Priest, an import from not really sure where (new in covid times) , did confession after Mass after we asked him.
Confession was at the Altar, sitting on chairs, in the open. Everyone waiting for confession sat and waited their turn.

Its great to be back after so long a wait.

 

[Fritzy]

We reopened 5 months. Masks required, families seated 6 feet apart, capacity limited to 25% at first then raised to 40%. Communion was after mass as you exited church, homily was to be limited to a few minutes, no choirs or musicians, just one person allowed to sing. Masses were about 35 minutes total. After 5 months Archbishop closed down masses again - online only. We had no cases at my parish. I was just wondering if we are the only diocese in the US to cancel masses again going into the holiday season.

 

[Weserthy]

I think there was another diocese that also closed again, I think it was El Paso. But you’re definitely in the minority; I wouldn’t expect most dioceses to close again.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I can see spreading being maybe more of a concern if you have a diocese where people or priests tend to travel distances for Mass. When you have a church every few miles, nobody is really traveling beyond where they’d travel locally, so unless you have a big, big spike right in your town there’s less reason to close the church. Plus if all the local restaurants and businesses are open to some degree then it’s hard to argue the church should close.

 

[InThePew]

We’ve been back in business since Pentecost Sunday - the first day I was able to celebrate public masses again I did.

No masks required but hand sanitiser is on offer at the entrances and people are encouraged to sign by scanning a QR code using the government provided app. Aside from that, it’s business as usual with communion under both kinds, physical contact at the sign of peace (besides elbow bumps) and communion on the tongue for those who wish to receive it in that way.

 

[Fritzy]

I wish. In person masses shut down indefinitely in Archdiocese Santa Fe, and not because the governor said they had to shut down!